After Avani Chaturvedi, Sania Mirza is likely to become India’s First Muslim women Fighter Pilot
Sania Mirza, the daughter of a TV mechanic from Jasovar village in Uttar Pradesh’s Mirzapur district, cleared the prestigious National Defence Academy (NDA) examination with an overall rank of 149, and if all goes well, she is likely to become India’s first Muslim female fighter pilot after Avani Chaturvedi.
After the results were announced, numerous reports were claiming that India would be getting its first Muslim female fighter pilot. This prompted the Indian Air Force (IAF) to clarify the facts in a statement in which it was stated categorically that Ms Mirza’s chances of joining the IAF depended on her completing the numerous courses she will take in the academy over the next four years.
It would take Sania four years from now to get commissioned as a pilot in the IAF, assuming she obtained joining instructions for the NDA. She will have to complete the required training for the flying branch during these four years, as well as possess the aptitude and merit to succeed as a fighter pilot, according to the IAF’s statement. The IAF wished Ms Mirza well in the future and expressed hope that she would achieve all of her goals.
Sania always wanted to be a fighter pilot since she was a young girl, and her inspiration is none other than the first female pilot, Avni Chaturvedi.
“I cracked NDA and secured overall 149th rank and got selected for the Air Force. When I saw Avni Chaturvedi, the first woman pilot on YouTube, I got inspired. I cracked NDA on the second attempt,” she was quoted saying to India Today.
“There were 400 vacancies. Of these, girls were eligible only for 19. In flying, there are only two seats for girls, but for boys, there are 90. When I saw this, I felt very bad. I was demotivated because I was worried about how I would be able to make it.” said Sania in her interview with The Quint.
“I first aimed at scoring in the written exams. And when I scored in that, I aimed at just clearing the interview. When that happened, I motivated myself to crack the pilot aptitude test. Slowly, I passed the medical and flying tests as well. And here I am,” Mirza tells The Quint.
Mirza added that one needs to have a “lot of patience.” “Patience is a must in defence and preparation for defence… You have to struggle for everything. You have to pay for everything. You cannot achieve anything free of cost. Whatever you want to achieve, whether it is big or small, you have to pay for it. I struggled a lot. I read through the night without giving any thought to food or sleep,” she said in her Interview with The Quint.
‘Don’t Discriminate Against Hindi Medium School’
The only time she ever questioned her talents was when some around her claimed that it would be more difficult for students attending schools with a Hindi-Medium curriculum to pass the exam.
Coolest news of the day 😉
You are already inspiring every generation 🙏🏽 https://t.co/gG8FyEhAXn— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) December 23, 2022
“I am from the UP Board, and the syllabus is the same as CBSE – the NCERT syllabus. But we used to be treated differently. Hindi is the pride of our country. I wanted to prove that if a child is from Hindi medium, it is not like they cannot switch to English. Maybe (it depends on) financial status, or maybe it’s his or her choice. Studying in Hindi can also be someone’s choice. To judge someone like that is wrong.” Sania tells The Quint.
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Mirza is also trying to shatter Stereotypes. “Girls and boys are now on an equal footing in every field. Then why do we still experience discrimination? I made the decision that I wanted to demonstrate to the defence that girls are just as capable on the field. Nothing says that boys should work and girls should stay at home. Girls are employed as teachers and doctors. However, this is a young, tough field, “she claims.
‘A wish From Sania Mirza to Sania Mirza’
Indian Tennis Player Sania Mirza tweeted:
“Coolest news of the day, You are already inspiring every generation”
